Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;White Lights&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘White Lights,’ having a domed capitulum of white anemone flowers and a round shape. A very uniform flowering response habit.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/543,819, filed on Feb. 11, 2004.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is ‘White Lights.’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, and referred to by the variety name ‘White Lights.’

‘White Lights,’ identified as 31183-0, originated from a cross-made in a controlled breeding program in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom.

The female parent of the new Chrysanthemum variety is an undistributed, unpatented seedling identified as ‘30425-0.’ The male parent ofthe new Chrysanthemum variety is an undistributed, unpatented seedling identified as ‘31310-0.’ The new Chrysanthemum variety ‘White Lights’ has been asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom and the distinguishing characteristics are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘White Lights’ is a garden type of Chrysanthemum plant variety having a domed—round plant form with white anemone type flowers.

Comparison with Female Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘White Lights’ are similar to the parent variety ‘30425-0’ in plant habit and growth rate. However, in side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Foot Lights’ differed from plants of the parent variety ‘30425-0’ in the following characteristics.

1. The new Chrysanthemum variety ‘White Lights’ produces white anemone type flowers whereas the parent variety ‘30425-0’ produces white single type flowers.

2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘White Lights’ have larger and longer inflorescence than plants of the parent variety ‘30425-0.’

Comparison with Male Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘White Lights’ are similar to the parent variety ‘31310-0’ in plant habit and growth rate. However, in side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘White Lights’ differ from plants of the parent variety ‘31310-0’ in the following characteristics.

1. The new Chrysanthemum variety ‘White Lights’ produces white anemone type flowers whereas the variety ‘31310-0’ produces pink anemone type flowers.

Comparison with other Variety

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘White Lights’ differ from the variety ‘Pidoul’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,218). In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘White Lights’ differed from plants of the variety ‘Pidoul’ in the following characteristics.

1. The new Chrysanthemum variety ‘White Lights’ produces white anemone type flowers whereas the variety ‘Pidoul’ produces white single type flowers.

2. The new Chrysanthemum variety ‘White Lights’ is less vigorous than the variety ‘Pidoul.’

3. The new Chrysanthemum variety ‘White Lights’ has a faster natural season response than the variety ‘Pidoul.’

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the new Chrysanthemum ‘White Lights’ are shown in the accompanying digital photograph. The colors shown are as true as possible within the usual limits of this kind of illustration. FIG. 1 is a whole plant view of the new variety ‘White Lights’ grown in a pot. The plant shown in the illustration is 63 days from the commencement of planting outdoors in mid-June.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘White Lights’ is of plants grown outside, natural season, in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom in the month of June. The variety has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in the environment such as temperature, length of day and light intensity, without any variance in genotype. The commercial classification of the new variety is a garden Chrysanthemum.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety have been grown successfully under temperature conditions averaging about 50° F. at night and about 60° F. to 75° F. during the day under natural light conditions. The plants were grown outdoors in mid-June in 4 liter pots using loamless compost. No growth retardants were used. To produce a commercial product the plants may be pinched once with the center bud removed. The typical container size for commercial growth is 4 liter (8″). It has been observed that the shelf life of the new variety is about 26 days with a response time of about 9 weeks natural season. The new variety is suitable for growth in a temperature range of 50° F. to 75° F.

The new Chrysanthemum variety may be produced as a pot plant. The following description is with respect to a plant produced as a garden pot plant. In the description of this new Chrysanthemum variety, color values have been taken from The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.).

Plant

-   Plant type: Pot. -   Habit: Domed-Round. -   Height: 38 cm-53 cm. -   Width: 0 cm-50 cm. -   Branching characteristics: Free branching and spreading. -   Length of lateral branches: 15 cm-28 cm. -   Number of breaks from pinch: 7-15. -   Stem:     -   -   Length.—8 cm-9 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.5 cm-0.7 cm.         -   Texture.—Rough.         -   Color.—near 138A. -   Response time: near 9 weeks natural season. -   Vigor: Medium. -   Shelf life: near 26 days. -   Disease (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observed to date. -   Pest (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observed to date. -   Drought and temperature (susceptibility/resistance observed): None     observed to date. -   Growth retardant type and treatment: No treatment necessary. -   The plants were grown for 9 weeks in natural season conditions.     Propagation:     -   -   Type: Vegetative Propagation via Stem Cuttings.         -   Time to rooting: 12 days with soil temperatures of 70° F.         -   Rooting habit: Fine and Fibrous.

Foliage

-   Number of leaves per lateral branch: 9-15. -   Compound or single: Single. -   Arrangement of leaves: Alternate. -   Shape of leaf: Typically 5 lobed ovate. -   Size of leaf: Width: 1.5 cm-2.5 cm; Length: 2.5 cm-3.5 cm. -   Leaf apex: Acute. -   Base: Obtuse. -   Attachment: Petioled. -   Aspect: Slightly undulating. -   Margin: Palmately lobed. -   Surface characteristics: Top: Slightly pubescent Bottom: Slightly     pubescent. -   Petiole: Color: near 138B Length: 0.6 cm-1.0 cm. -   Venation: Net. Prominent mid vein at underside Color: upper side:     near 144B underside: near 144B. -   Color: Mature Leaf, upper side: near 139B; underside: near 139C     Young Leaf, upper side: near 139B; under side: near 139B.

Flower

-   Flower appearance: Matte. -   Flower type: Anemone. -   Flower form: Flat. -   Flower shape: Round. -   Flowering habit: Cyme. -   Number of blossoms per branch: 9-15. -   Inflorescence form: Corymbiform. -   Depth of fully expanded blossoms: 0.8 cm-1.0 cm. -   Diameter of fully expanded blossoms: 2.5 cm-4.5 cm. -   Anemone center diameter.—1 cm-1.5 cm. -   Phyllaries:     -   -   Number.—22-25.         -   Color.—near 137C.         -   Length.—0.5 cm-0.8 cm.         -   Width.—0.1 cm-0.3 cm.         -   Texture/appearance: Shiny/Slightly Pubescent. -   Peduncle: Peduncle length is shortest at the terminal flower and     progressively longer down the stem; longest length is on average 11     cm, shortest length is on average 4 cm.     -   -   Length.—3 cm-12 cm.         -   Color.—near 137C.         -   Surface.—Pubescent.         -   Habit.—Slightly Curving.         -   Strength.—Medium. -   Ray florets:     -   -   Form/shape.—Straight.         -   Texture/appearance.—Matte.         -   Number perflower.—20-25.         -   Length.—1.0 cm-1.5 cm; Width: 0.3 cm-0.6 cm.         -   Apex.—Round.         -   Base.—Tubular.         -   Margin.—Entire. -   Disc florets:     -   -   Form/shape: Cylindrical.         -   Texture/appearance.—Matte.         -   Number perflower.—125-150.         -   Length.—0.3 cm-0.5 cm; Width: 0.1 cm-0.15 cm.         -   Diameter of disc: 0.8 cm. -   Fragrance: Slight. -   Flower bud (at onset of color):     -   -   Length.—0.2 cm-0.4 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.3 cm-0.5 cm.         -   Form/shape.—Round/Slightly Flat. -   General flower color:     -   -   1. Ray florets, upper side.—Immature: near 155B Mature: near             155D Older/Fading: near 65D.         -   2. Ray florets, under side.—Immature: near 155B Mature: near             155D Older/Fading: near 65D         -   3. Disc florets.—Immature: near 14B Mature: near 14C             Older/Fading: near 14D         -   4. Bud: near 20C. -   Flower progression with age; Flowers retain their color with age     though some produce a pale pink tinge. Lastingness of blooms is     about 26 days.

Reproductive Organs

-   Gynoecium present on Ray and Disc florets. Ray florets per     individual flower:     -   -   Pistil number.—20-25 observed.         -   Stigma color.—near 144D.         -   Stigma shape.—Forked.         -   Style color.—near 144D.         -   Style length.—0.1 cm-0.3 cm. -   Disc florets per individual flower:     -   -   Pistil number.—20-130 observed.         -   Stigma color.—near 144D.         -   Stigma shape.—Forked.         -   Style color: near 144D.         -   Style length.—0.1 cm-0.2 cm. -   Androecium present on Disc florets only. Disc florets per individual     flower:     -   -   Stamen number.—25-30 observed.         -   Anther shape.—Clubbed.         -   Anther color.—near 14C.         -   Pollen color.—near 12A.         -   Pollen quantity.—Small. -   Fruit and Seeds: None observed. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 